Mirai Sets Fuel Economy Benchmark of 67 eMPG

Much of the hubbub surrounding fuel cell vehicles focuses on, well, the “fuel.” How will you get it and how far can you go with it? The Toyota Mirai answered both of those today.

The Japanese maker said today the new fuel cell vehicle will average 67 miles per equivalent gallon and 312 miles on a full tank. The Mirai is expected to go on sale this fall in California with additional markets added later.

“Toyota realized in the early 90’s that electrification was key to the future of the automobile,” said Jim Lentz, Toyota North America CEO, in a statement. “Just as the Prius introduced hybrid-electric vehicles to millions of customers nearly twenty years ago, the Mirai is now poised to usher in a new era of efficient, hydrogen transportation.”

The Mirai is a four-door, mid-size sedan with performance that creates electricity on demand using hydrogen, oxygen and a fuel cell, and emits only water vapor in the process.

Mirai is the only zero emission electric vehicle on the market that tops the 300 mile range milestone, the automaker claims. While going more than 300 miles on a single fill up puts the Mirai in the neighborhood with vehicle using internal combustion engines, Toyota’s also working on the first question posed: how to get it fueled?

Other hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, like Hyundai’s Tucson, have struggled with resolving the issue. A lack of a hydrogen fueling network is taking its toll, forcing the maker to turn away potential buyers who simply don’t live close enough to the handful of hydrogen pumps currently open to the public in Southern California.

(Lack of fuel limits Tucson fuel-cell vehicles. For more, Click Here.)

Hyundai has sold “under 100” of the Tucson FCV models since the fuel-cell vehicle was introduced last summer. On the positive side, the State of California has set aside millions of dollars to expand that nascent hydrogen infrastructure and expects to have nearly a dozen filling stations open in the coming year, with a target of doubling that in short order. Eventually, the state hopes to have at least 100 in place.

(Click Here for details on when potential Mirai owners can place orders.)

However, for Mirai owners, Toyota is offering:

• Three years’ worth of complimentary fuel
• Three years complimentary Safety Connect and Entune, including a hydrogen station finder app.
• Three years of 24/7 customer call support.
• Eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on key fuel cell vehicle components including the FC stack and power control unit; FC hydrogen tanks; hybrid battery pack and ECU; FC air compressor, boost converter and ECU; hybrid control module (power management control module); and hydrogen fueling ECU.

(To see more about why green car buyers pay with “green,” Click Here.)

In addition, owners get complimentary rentals for seven days per year for three years, no-cost scheduled maintenance for three years, or 35,000 miles, whichever comes first, plus an enhanced version of ToyotaCare, a no-cost service and roadside assistance plan for three years, regardless of mileage, including expedited towing service and trip interruption reimbursement at a maximum of $500 per day for up to 5 days per incident.